Articles tagged with Plants
A UC Riverside geneticist has won a $1.7 million grant to study how barley has adapted to survive thousands of years, with the goal of understanding its future survival in extreme weather conditions. The project will also train undergraduates in agricultural science and computational techniques.
Scientists have identified 35 species of pepper in the Capsicum family, including five domesticated species. The study found that breeding compatibility between species was not linked to their genetic relationship, and four previously characterised species were reclassified.
Researchers found no significant difference in plant growth or health when grown under different light filters, making see-through solar panels a feasible option for greenhouses. This technology could enable energy-neutral farming and reduce greenhouse emissions.
Research has identified two stevia varieties that can withstand freezing temperatures, making them suitable for growth in temperate climates. The study aims to improve the yield and taste of stevia while reducing production costs.
Researchers at Michigan State University are exploring the impact of climate change on plants' efficiency, focusing on photorespiration, a process that reduces plant productivity. By understanding this phenomenon better, they hope to develop new breeding techniques and improve crop yields.
Researchers have discovered how plants use their metabolism to sense time and conserve energy, shedding light on the 'plant clock'. This understanding could help optimize crop growth in various conditions, such as different seasons and latitudes. The study's findings may lead to more reliable food production and improved yields.
Researchers found identical patterns in plant functional traits along microclimatic gradients across four tundra ecosystems, improving climate change impact predictions. This study reveals generalizable rules in nature, allowing for the application of scientific results from one region to another.
Researchers developed a way to measure levels of specific carbon nanotubes in plant tissues using programmed thermal analysis. This method can detect small amounts of carbon nanotubes in leaves, stems, and roots, providing crucial insights into their environmental fate and potential human exposure.
Researchers at Utah State University used a new tool to study the effects of stress on Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6, a health-promoting bacterium found in dryland wheat roots. The study found that stress can cause compositional changes in the bacteria's outer membrane vesicles, which may be leveraged for crop benefit.
A study by German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) found that plant species often respond to climate drivers months or even years later than previously assumed. The research analyzed 76 studies on 104 plant species and discovered that climate conditions during dormant seasons can have significant effects on plants.
Researchers at the University of Illinois developed a model to accurately calculate GPP in bioenergy crops using satellite data. The SLOPE GPP product explains 85% of spatial and temporal variations in GPP, overcoming previous inefficiencies in image-based, time-based, and latency precision.
Scientists have identified a gene responsible for varying cereal spike forms, offering a possible solution to increasing grain yields. The research focuses on the INT-M/DUB1 gene's ability to regulate meristem activity and determine lateral spikelet formation.
A low-cost drone-based photogrammetry method has been developed to estimate plant biomass, explaining up to 47% of biomass variation in multispecies plots. The method uses aerial images and simple RGB cameras, making it a promising alternative to expensive LiDAR technology.
A University of Oregon postdoc has developed a new approach to reconstruct past ecosystem services by combining pollen records with key plant traits. The method provides confidence in the ability to understand how plants performed different benefits useful for humans over the past 21,000 years.
Research reveals plants use sugar sensing mechanisms to fine tune stress responses based on nutrient availability. The study identifies an evolutionarily conserved protein that plays a unique role in regulating stress responses and developmental transitions.
Researchers found that plants influence the relative abundance of thousands of nuclear genomes in their symbiotic microbe partners. This cooperation maximizes growth benefits for both fungi and plant partners.
Researchers tested the 'Field of Dreams' hypothesis, finding plant diversity has limited effects on animal biodiversity. Management strategies, such as controlled burns and bison reintroduction, had stronger impacts on animal communities.
Researchers at the Salk Institute have made groundbreaking discoveries about the genome of Wolffia, a miniature aquatic plant that can grow twice as fast as other plants. The study reveals that Wolffia has shed most genes that don't contribute to growth, allowing it to focus on rapid development.
Researchers at the University of California - Riverside discovered fermented food waste can boost beneficial bacteria in plants, increasing crop growth and resistance to pathogens. The treatment reduces carbon emissions from farming and has potential for sustainable agriculture practices.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have identified three distinct populations of switchgrass with unique adaptations to climate, paving the way for breeding high-yielding varieties matched to specific climates. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient and sustainable biofuel production.
Plant cells use pioneer transcription factor LEAFY to access genes that are otherwise inaccessible due to tightly packed chromatin. This allows for changes in cell identity and fate, enabling plants to adapt to environmental conditions.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory created an anatomical map of corn development by analyzing individual cells. This map will aid in breeding more sustainable crops with improved yields.
A research group found that cats use silver vine to repel mosquitoes due to its chemical defense properties. Nepetalactol activates a nervous system response in cats, which helps them transfer the substance to their fur for protection.
Researchers found that catnip and silver vine contain intoxicating chemicals that repel mosquitoes when cats rub against them. The study identified nepetalactol as the most potent compound in silver vine leaves, which activates the opioid reward system in both domesticated felines and big jungle cats.
The study suggests that up to half of land ecosystems could reach a tipping point where they release more carbon than they absorb by 2100 under a business-as-usual emissions scenario. Biomes with high carbon storage, such as rainforests and Taiga forests, may lose over 45% of their carbon sink capabilities by midcentury.
Astronauts on long-duration missions face nutrient deficiencies from dehydrated food; Ying Diao's research uses wearable sensors to monitor plant stress and optimize growth conditions. The technology has potential applications beyond space exploration, including addressing climate change by helping plants adapt to changing environments.
A bacterium has been identified that produces the potent substance FR900359, which inhibits Gq proteins with similar potency to no other compound. The discovery facilitates large-scale production of the substance, allowing researchers to explore its therapeutic potential.
Researchers have engineered a new-to-nature metabolic connection, the TaCo pathway, which fixes CO2 instead of releasing it in photorespiration. This synthetic pathway is more energy-efficient than any other proposed alternative, with potential applications in improving crop yield and recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Researchers at Ohio State University have discovered a cheaper and more efficient way to conduct a chemical reaction that converts sugar into biofuels. The new method uses less expensive and simpler helper molecules, or cofactors, which are essential for energy conversion in cells.
A University of Guam study has found that retaining leaves during cycad stem cutting propagation and using anti-transpirant products have no effect on success rates. Healthy cycads can recover from root or leaf loss with proper care.
Researchers found that plants use rapid oscillations of stems and leaves due to wind to activate molecular switches, allowing them to respond to environmental changes. This discovery highlights the importance of plant sensitivity to mechanical signals, enabling them to prepare for storms.
Researchers have developed a method to quickly screen crops by analyzing the light signal emitted during photosynthesis, known as Solar Induced Fluorescence (SIF). This signal provides critical insights into photosynthesis, which could lead to improving crop yields and feeding humanity.
A new soft robotic gripper designed by researchers at the University of Georgia uses a unique twining motion to offer several advantages over existing robotic devices. The device has embedded sensors providing real-time feedback, enabling it to firmly grasp objects as small as 1 millimeter in diameter.
A study suggests that 96% of US crop wild relatives require high conservation priority due to limited understanding of their geographic distribution and current conservation status. Conservation action is needed in taxonomic hotspots across the country to safeguard these genetic resources for breeding and food security.
The carbon dioxide fertilization effect has declined globally since 1982, impacting climate change projections. This decline is linked to changes in nutrient concentrations and soil water availability.
Researchers Barbara Mazzolai and Andrea Toma at IIT have been awarded ERC grants for their projects on intelligent plant robots and new photosynthesis technologies. The projects aim to create collective behavior in plants and develop nanotechnology devices for storing solar energy in hydrogen.
Researchers have designed a portable device that can rapidly detect plant stress, including nitrogen deficiency, drought, heat, and light stress. The device uses a Raman leaf-clip sensor to probe the chemistry of leaves, allowing for early diagnosis and real-time monitoring of plant health.
A new study provides a theoretical foundation for understanding competitive root behavior, revealing that plants adjust their root growth strategies according to the proximity of competing plants. The research reconciles conflicting hypotheses and demonstrates that roots are likely used to preempt resource capture by competitors in nea...
Researchers discovered that plants adjust their root investment when planted with neighbors, reducing overlap to minimize competition. The study suggests a balance between aboveground and belowground resource use is key to understanding carbon deposition and optimizing food production.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing innovative technologies to improve transportation, biology, radiation, and climate. Air taxis could significantly reduce fuel consumption while alleviating traffic congestion. Fungi use signaling molecules to communicate with each other and regulate growth. The lab is also vis...
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba used gene editing to introduce diversity into tomatoes, improving their nutrition and environmental sustainability. The study found that 10 out of 12 resulting tomato lines contained high levels of carotenoids, a precursor to vitamin A with antioxidant properties.
Researchers from Boyce Thompson Institute created a high-quality reference genome for S. pimpinellifolium, discovering sections of the genome underlying fruit flavor, size and ripening, stress tolerance and disease resistance. The study found over 92,000 structural variants related to important traits in cultivated tomatoes.
Researchers from SMART and TLL discovered a way to detect shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) in plants within hours using Raman spectroscopy, enabling farmers to intervene timely and improve crop yield. The method can be widely applied across various plant species and crops.
A recent study found that cassava can maintain its nutritional quality and photosynthetic efficiency even under elevated carbon dioxide levels. The crop showed significant yield increases of 22-39% in various varieties, making it a promising option for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Researchers at FAU identify a molecular marker in Cuscuta parasites that triggers recognition by tomato receptors, leading to immune response. The discovery may improve crop resistance to parasitic plants.
Researchers found that as microbes adapt to new hosts, they become less beneficial to hosts of other genotypes. The study suggests that there may not be a single universally healthy microbiome, and transplanted microbes need time to adjust before providing benefits.
Researchers developed a model that shows CAM-like metabolism can save more than 50% of water while maintaining 80% productivity in temperate climates. The study also identified an alternative CAM cycle involving mitochondrial enzyme ICDH, which can add up to 11% of total water savings.
Researchers at FAU identify a protein in dodder that triggers tomato defense mechanism, allowing crops to recognize and resist parasitic attacks. The discovery may lead to increased crop resistance against parasitic plants.
Research demonstrates that a stable bacterial microbiome exists within surface-sterilized perennial ryegrass seeds, which almost disappears as the plant matures but returns in a new generation of seed. The microbiome is influenced by soil type and can be used to track the movement of bacteria from parent to seed.
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, have created a new checklist to guide plant breeders in growing crops more sustainably. The tool helps breeders understand species better and find ways to increase growth using wild plant species.
Researchers have developed a new technique to fabricate tiny circuits from ultrathin materials for next-generation electronics. Plants are being engineered to produce new molecules with enhanced properties, while lignin is transformed into a precursor for a useful chemical with wide range of applications
Researchers discovered a fungal virus that converts a deadly fungal pathogen into a beneficial endophytic fungus in rapeseed plants. The transformed fungus boosts the plant's immune system, leading to increased weight, root growth, and resistance to diseases.
A landmark special issue collaboration between Kew and New Phytologist Foundation highlights the global roadmap for protecting and sustainably using plants and fungi. The research emphasizes the importance of collaboration and recognizes the threats to plant and fungal diversity, highlighting a critical need for conservation efforts.
Domestication led to reduced genetic diversity and elimination of beneficial traits like robustness in drought stress and resistance to pathogens. The study identified key genes and metabolites influencing fruit quality, including health-promoting flavonoids and defensive compounds.
A global-scale meta-analysis found that diverse leaf litter increases decomposition rates by 34.7%. This could be crucial for predicting future changes in biogeochemical cycles and climate feedbacks on Earth.
Researchers at the University of Queensland have found a new family of toxins, gympietides, in the Gympie-Gympie stinging tree that can cause long-lasting pain similar to spider and cone snail venom. The toxins permanently change sodium channels in sensory neurons, suggesting potential for developing new painkillers.
Materials chemists at UMass Amherst create a polymer tattoo on plant leaves to detect early ozone damage, which can reduce crop yields and threaten the food supply. The innovative method allows for frequent and long-term monitoring of cellular ozone damage in economically important crops.
A team of scientists is developing genetically engineered switchgrass types that can grow anywhere and maximize crop yield, stress tolerance, and carbon sequestration. The research aims to create a sustainable biofuel solution to meet domestic energy demands.
A citizen science study led by the Estonian Research Council analyzed data from over 1,700 observations, revealing a systematic dominance of short-styled morphs and increased deviations in smaller populations with higher human population density. The findings have significant implications for conservation efforts, highlighting another ...
Researchers studied a unique plant species with one leaf that continues to grow larger indefinitely. The study found overlapping gene expression patterns, suggesting the plant's unusual growth is due to a hybrid of shoot meristem and leaf cells.